Nipple
The nipple is a raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast from which milk leaves the breast through the lactiferous ducts.12 The milk can flow through the nipple passively or it can be ejected by smooth muscle contractions that occur along the ductal system. The nipple is surrounded by the areola which is often a darker color than the surrounding skin.3 It is often called a teat when referring to non-humans. Teat can also be used to describe the flexible mouthpiece of a baby bottle. In humans, nipples of both males and females can be stimulated as part of sexual arousal. In many cultures, human female nipples are sexualized,4 or "...regarded as sex objects and evaluated in terms of their physical characteristics and sexiness."5 Etymology The word "nipple" most likely originates as a diminutive of neb, an Old English word meaning "beak", "nose", or "face", and which is of Germanic origin.6 The words "teat" and "tit" share a Germanic ancestor. The second of the two, tit, was inherited directly from Proto-Germanic, while the first entered English via Old French.78 The nipple is also used an anatomical landmark. It marks the T4 (fourth thoracic vertebra) dermatome and rests over the approximate level of the diaphram.9 Anatomy In the anatomy of mammals, a nipple, mammary papilla or teat is a small projection of skin containing the outlets for 15–20 lactiferous ducts arranged cylindrically around the tip. The skin of the nipple is rich in a supply of special nerves that are sensitive to certain stimuli: these are slowly-adapting and rapidly-adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Mechanoreceptors are identified respectively by Type I slowly-adapting with multiple Merkel corpuscle end-organs and Type II slowly-adapting with single Ruffini corpuscle end-organs, as well as Type I rapidly-adapting with multiple Meissner corpuscle end-organs and Type II rapidly-adapting with single Pacinian corpuscle end-organs. The dominant innervation to the nipple is derived from the lateral cutaneous branches of fourth intercostal nerve.10 The physiological purpose of nipples is to deliver milk to the infant, produced in the female mammary glands during lactation. Marsupials and eutherian mammals typically have an even number of nipples arranged bilaterally, from as few as two to as many as 19.11 Since nipples change throughout the life span in men and women, the anatomy of the nipple can change and this change may be expected and considered normal. * Inverted nipples - This is normal if the nipples have always been indented inward and can easily point out when touched. If the nipples are pointing in and this is new, this is an unexpected change. * Skin puckering of the nipple - This can be caused by scar tissue from surgery or an infection. Often, scar tissue forms for no reason. Most of the time this issue does not need treatment. This is an unexpected change. This change can be of concern since puckering of the nipple, or retraction of the nipple can indicate an underlying change in breast tissue that can be cancerous.12 * Nipple is warm to the touch, red or painful - This can be an infection. It is rarely due to breast cancer. * Scaly, flaking, itchy nipple - This is most often due to eczema or a bacterial or fungal infection. This change is not expected. flaking, scaly, itchy nipples can be a sign of Paget disease. This is a rare form of breast cancer involving the nipple. * Thickened skin with large pores - This is called peau d'orange because the skin looks like an orange peel. An infection in the breast or inflammatory breast cancer can cause this problem. This not an expected change. * Retracted nipples - The nipple was raised above the surface but changes begins to pull inward and does not come out when stimulated. This is an expected change it did not exist before.13 The average projection and size of human female nipples is slightly more than 3/8 of an inch (10mm).14 The lymphatic ducts that drain the nipple are the same for the breast.2 The axillary nodes are the apical axillary nodes, the lateral group and the anterior group.15 75% of the lymph is drained through the axillary lymph nodes located near the armpit. The rest of the drainage leaves the nipple and breast through infroclavicular, pectoral, or parasternal nodes. The arterial supply to the nipple and breast originates from the anterior intercostal branches of the internal thoracic (mammary) arteries; lateral thoracic artery; and thoracodorsal arteries. The venous vessels parallel the arteries.2 Nipple (Evolution) Male Nipples transforming as adult as 14 year old, nipples will disappearing in year 3000. Female At 10 year old, nipples growing when became adolescence. Category:People